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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

I found this Rob Rang article while doing a bit of research on Red Bryant... pretty interesting to see what Rang thought in October. I think if you take a look, you'll see that we just might have gotten not one, but two steals. The more I think about our D-Line, the more excited I get about next year.
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Normally, I only put a small amount of stock in the infamous Wonderlic score. I usually view like one would any standardized test, such as an IQ test. You have a whole lot of people who fall close enough to the mean that specific scores don't hold a lot of meaning. What I believe is that it is the outliers you pay attention to. When someone like Vince Young scores a 6 you make a note. Not that it has hurt his pro potential that much. The opposite is true as well. When someone scores off the charts it is worth noting.

John Carlson is one of those cases. Apparently he had the highest score of this years draft class. Here is an article looking at his score. Carlson had a 40. Let me note something the article mentions, that the questions have very little to do with football. However, knowing that Carlson did so well on this test validates the Seahawks trading up to get Carlson even more. Coming from Notre Dame, we assume he is smart. This shows that he is able to quickly assess the situation (the questions) and make the proper decisions (answers).

This is an excellent sign, considering the Hawks are looking for an immediate contribution. Many tight ends make marginal contributions as rookies. There are numerous reasons for this which are not measured by this test, blocking skill, strength, etc. However, one thing this test does tell us is that we shouldn't expect picking up the playbook and scheme to be the factor. Something which is often sited as the biggest hurdle for a rookie pass catcher in a Mike Holmgren offense. The prospects for next year keep looking better and better. Go Hawks!

According to Clare Farnsworth the Hawks have inked three players, including former Husky DT Larry Tripplett. The other two are LB Wesley Mallard and QB Dalton Bell.

I have long been a supporter of the Hawks taking a look at Tripplett. He made his name with the Colts and then signed a big free agent deal in Buffalo, never quite living up to expectations. This could be heavily related to the news that just came out about Marcus Tubbs. Tripplett was one of the more suitable free agents to provide insurance for the Tubbs situation.

Mallard is a former Oregon and NY Giants linebacker who will be a stretch to make the team. END
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In the same interview, Mike Holmgren gave several hints as to what you will see from the Seahawks this year.

The first of which is that it will be Running Back by committee, and expect Mo Morris to figure in heavily.

Holmgren's intention is to start Rob Sims at right guard. This is not too much of a surprise.

It sounds as if LoJack will be the starting DE, and Tapp will be brought in as a pass rushing specialist. He hinted that they feel Tapp is better rushing the QB than holding up against the run. Maybe this will challenge him to be better. Holmgren has never been afraid to drop not-so-subtle hints to motivate players.

Also, it sounds as if Nate Burleson will be taken off special teams duty, including punt returns.

I believe this is a mistake. Nate seems to have a sense about him that allows him to break off the big returns when the team needs them the most. That is a rare trait that should not be stymied.

Also, Holmgren said he has challenged John Marshall and CO. to be better on the road. When you look at the road schedule, it doesn't seem so far fetched that it could happen. END
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According to Mike Holmgren, appearing on KJR this morning, Marcus Tubbs is going to miss all of the preseason and training camp. He had to have a follow up surgery on his troublesome knee several weeks ago. All of the reports had been that Marcus was coming along nicely, and apparently this was just a scope, but regardless this is damaging news. The Hawks weren't looking for much from Tubbs, but they were hoping for something. It remains to be seen if that will happen. END
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After putting up the roster yesterday, I have gotten some requests to already starting coding it by who I think will be on the team. Instead of doing that, I just thought I would take my stab at the who the 53 man roster would be if everybody stays healthy. This way you all can chime in and give your opinions as well.

Just.....Quarterbacks...

The team is going to keep three, and they are all on the roster currently,Matt HasselbeckSeneca WallaceCharlie Frye

Running backs....

The team usually keeps 5. This year may be a bit a different. With all the turnover it is possible they will increase that.

All of these projections are based on the average number of players at each position over the years. There are a few deviations. WR is one less, so that RB can be one more. O line sometimes has 9, but I put the extra kicker on because our special teams are so inexperienced. Mare's leg will help coverage teams, and Coutu can get his feet under him in the league. What do you think? Read More!

Justin Forsett was on the Opening Drive, on Sirius NFL Radio this morning with Bob Pappas, Randy Cross, and Peter King. For a summary of what he had to say....

First off, HERE is scouting report done by John Morgan at Field Gulls on Justin Forsett. Here is what he had to say...

Excited to be in Seattle with a good team.

Said he wishes he had a chance to meet Shaun, but its Ok.

Holmgren called him, he was asleep. It got to a point he couldn't watch anymore waiting to be picked.

He thought he should have gone a lot earlier, only because some of the backs that went in front of him.

He recognizes special teams is going to be key for him. He said he would snap or hold if they asked him to.

He has come to Seattle a bunch to play the Huskies. He said he heard it rains a lot up there.

He feels he can come in an play anywhere on the field. He thinks that he will bring some excitement to the field no matter what he does.

Justin, seemed a little groggy to me. Wasn't the greatest interview. Could be that it was 7:15am, I know i am a bit groggy. It will be interesting to see if he makes the team. He seems to have the right approach. Welcome aboard Justin! Read More!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Continuing on with a series of getting to know the new draft picks, KJR, and the Gasman specifically did a an interview with Owen Schmitt. Through You-Tube fame he is already a Seahawk fan favorite. Get a listen to the mohawked madman, the runaway beer truck himself, Owen Schmitt. Apparently he likes to eat...strange things. END
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The roster already needs to be updated. According to Clare Farnsworth, the Seahawks have released long snapper Tim Lindsey. No word on who will take his spot, but the Hawks will likely add someone else shortly. Maybe a free agent linemen, maybe another undrafted guy. Clearly though, the team thinks it has its man in Tyler Schmitt. END
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Ok, folks, I have created a roster. Now, I am having several issues. First, I haven't found a format in which i can load up the actual excel file so that you all can download it if you want. Also, I am not as excel savvy as I once was and I am having some issues doing everything I want with it. If you are an excel jedi master, please email me.

On to the roster. I have it available for you to view here. I didn't go nearly as elaborate as say a Sando would. But some of his categories seemed excessive. If there is anything that you think absoulutely needs to be added, tell me. The excel file allows all the categories to be sortable. I am working on having positional group totals and averages. Hopefully I can make that available soon. I have made this available (that wasn't so hard) for download. This is going to be a work in progress. But for now, you get what you get. Enjoy.

Also, the roster links have replaced the list of draft visits and interest, underneath the countdown widget, in case you want to find it in the future. END.
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On NFL Live today they had ESPN's version of Ricky and Lucy, McShay and Kiper, re-grading the 2005 class. Mel, he should have been a fourth rounder, Kiper opted to praise the Cowboys noting that he gave them an A back then and it looks even better now. He also said he would change San Diego's 05' class from a C to an A.

It was Todd McShay who threw the Sea Birds some love, saying not many people though highly of their class, but they got a stand out starting center, and impact player in Lofa Tatupu and the underrated Leroy Hill even later.

Is there some reason ESPN is keeping Mel Kiper around? I have a new favorite, McShay clearly knows what he is talking about. Actually, I am just fooling. I think pretty highly of Mel Kiper. The man has taken 30 years of grief, but analysts like Todd McShay, and even guys like Rob Rang, owe their careers to Kiper. Now hopefully we won't have to see these guys for another 9 months. END
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Now with two drafts under the belts of the new crew in the desert, it is becoming clear that these teams are taking different approaches in adding players. To me this makes the rivalry, and that they appear set to battle each other for the NFC West crown again, more interesting.

I don't need to fully document the Seahawks strategies again, especially in regards to the draft. However it is clear that the Cardinals don't share the same philosophy. Over the weekend they selected two players with red flags for character. I documented one during the draft, Kenny Iwebewa. Iwebewa doesn't have major legal issues, but he has similar issues to 2nd round pick last year Alan Branch. Many teams had these players crossed off their boards because they were known as lazy, uninterested, and medical risks. There were also some concerns about "Buster" Davis if I recall, and after being chosen in the 3rd round, he was released.

However, that doesn't mean that legal issues scare off the Cardinals either. 7th rounder Brandon Keith was only available at that point because of an incident last month where he charged police and was subsequently tasered. Three misdemeanors are pending.

Look, I am not going to pretend that bad guys can't play football. Sometimes it even helps. However, when you consider that the team is now having troubles with both Anquan Boldin and Darnell Dockett, you wonder if a change in organizational philosophy would help. I am not trying to say that the Seahawks are immune to these issues, Rocky Bernard was just arrested, and as for the contract issues, they suffered them with Darrell Jackson. However, as time moves on it seems these things are less likely to happen because the Hawks don't bring these guys in. Both of those players were of the pre-Ruskell character filter era. With the Cardinals ignoring character issues, we will be given a great measuring stick over the next few years as to the correlation between character and success, especially since there are two games a year and a division title on the line every season. END
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Monday, April 28, 2008

I think it would be fair to say that with the success of the teams in recent years, and the fact that they have been playing each other often, the Seahawks are developing a bit of a rivalry with the Bears. Personally, I have no love for Sexy Rexy and his band of misfits, and I enjoyed beating them, finally, last year.

However, now there is a new source of fuel to fan the flames in this match up. New draft choice Red Bryant, and Bears first rounder Chris Williams aren't such big fans of each other. It started at the Senior Bowl.

Bryant told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer he was trying to break Williams' face mask and said Williams "had a headache for about two days."

Williams dismissed Red's account of things.

"There's not any truth to that," he said. "As far as beating a man in full pads, I was like, 'I'm not going to break my hand hitting him in the helmet.' I was laughing the whole time, like, 'Please keep hitting me and break your hand and get drafted in the 12th round."

The good news is that the Teddy Bears will be back in town on August 16th. And both rookies should expect significant time. Go get em' Red! END
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I haven't had time to give this its due notice, but since the football world is catching its breath before mini camps begin, tonight is a perfect time.

After a cool 850 votes were totaled, the winner (loser?) of the worst and most annoying football personality goes to you Fat Tony! The Seahawk Addict readers agreed! While we thought that Cris Collinsworth getting run over by a bus, or Tony Kornheiser being eaten by an alligator would be sweet, we would trade it all to see you disappear from the football airwaves all together. You mumble, you bumble, you make absurd and biased statements against our beloved Hawks. And now we clown you! Seahawk Addicts...enjoy

With a little rest under my belt, I thought it would be worth looking at some other teams drafts a bit. Specifically, the former Seahawks who have been given GM roles around the league. Who would have thought the Seahawks would have a personnel tree, but I guess that is what a little success does for you, huh. To see the breakdown....

First, Scot McGloughan and the SF 49ers....

There is also Mike Reinfeldt, and the Tennessee Titans....

Finally, Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers

First off, Scott McGloughlan was given full control over personal for the first time this year. Not surprisngly, San Francisco had a very strong draft. For one, you can see the influence of even the one year he spent with Ruskell. All big school guys. Not only that but they used top picks to strengthen the lines. That tells me that he probably had a pretty strong voice, as Mike Nolan and Mike Martz have often drafted skill guys very high. Overall, I think McGloughlan did a very nice job and didn't let others talk him out of his plan. San Fran will be better for this, and it may be possible for him to survive, even if Nolan/Martz do not.

Next, Mike Rienfeldt. Oh Mike, how you have lost your way. Just taking over in Tennessee before last years draft, not much influence from the current Seahawks regime is present. Look at all those small school guys. Also, taking Stanford Kelgar is an odd choice. He has a criminal proceeding against him yet to be resolved. If you are Tennessee do you really need that, after Pac Man. Anyway, likely Jeff Fisher still controls most of the decisions. He has had a lot of success with small school guys, most notably Steve McNair, so Reinfeldt either doesn't subscribe to the "Seahawk way", or his voice is being drowned out by those who have been there longer.

Finally, Ted Thompson. Ted was more influenced during his time here by Coach Holmgren. He was out before Ruskell joined. One thing he and Ruskell do share in common is the high value they place on draft picks. Thompson more so than anybody in the league. He completely skips free agency most years and accumulates as many picks as he can. It has worked. It allows him to do somethings that one can only wonder if he picked up from Holmgren. Taking two QB's would be a classic Holmgren move. I am sure he would have loved to do that, he just never had the roster Thompson does right now. Also, look at the focus on the offense. Offensive players are less likely to contribute right away, but GB took 7 out of 9 on that side of the ball. Also, only one player not from a major school, which shows some belief in the big school is best mentality, even though in the past he has gambled on lesser known college players.

Just another interesting way to look at some of the Seahawk story lines of the draft. If the success keeps up, it won't be long till Ruston Webster is getting talked about as a possible GM. Lets hope we can keep him around. I really like the way things are working right now. Read More!

I just got done watching Tim Ruskell and Ruston Websters end of day press conference from yesterday. You can see it HERE, at Seahawks.com.

One thing that I haven't seen anybody else talk about yet is that Ruskell said they will be looking to sign two pro free agent linemen before camp starts.

I made a case for "Chop" yesterday. Here are some others who are worth the veteran minimum. To see....

Shane Olivea, T, 26 years old....He had back problems last year and the Chargers cut him. However, he had been a solid starter for them and is still young.

L.J. Shelton, G/T, 32 years old. I mentioned way back in the free agency previews that this guy is basically another Pork Chop. He as started in this league recently and can play both G and T. Would make a lot of sense to at least take a look.

Fred Weary, G, 30 years old. Weary has been the primary backup for the Texans in recent years. He has gotten significant time. He is pretty good run blocker, but has some problems in pass pro. As a back up or a camp invite, he is a pretty good choice. Weary broke his leg last year, so he would have to be cleared medically first.

Tom Ashworth(less) G/T, Don't worry folks, I am only kidding. Please don't bring this guy back unless it is an absolute emergency!

None of the group would be guaranteed a spot on the team, but considering the relative youth of the back ups, it would make sense to bring them in to camp. I still think Womack is the most likely. Don't be surprised if it is announced soon. Read More!

Dang Y'all! There was some serious activity happening at Seahawk Addicts this weekend. First off Saturday came within one visit from tying the highest total (3/7/08) for a day at 4278. But the readers here are obviously serious about their Seahawks, because Sunday annihilated all previous marks with 5086 visits! Combined Saturday and Sunday, the site had over 30,000 page views. Saturday set the new mark with 14,500, which was again reset on Sunday when there was 16,700!!!!! I guess it was actually 31,000 page views for the weekend. Thanks to everybody who has spread the word about Seahawk Addicts. I can only imagine what will happen over the draft next year. I keep telling you, just wait till I have football to discuss! You guys rock! Glad you enjoyed getting your draft updates here!

Also special thanks to Chris Sullivan. He was the man this weekend. Without him, no way the coverage would have been half of what it was. Thanks my man! END
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This morning is a monumental day in Seahawk/draft history. It would appear that Mel Kiper has learned his lesson about betting against Tim Ruskell. Either that or he is just plain getting smarter with age. Way to go Mel.

Seattle Seahawks: GRADE: BLawrence Jackson stepped up his performance and deserved being a first-round pick. I would have looked at Dustin Keller, although John Carlson is a more complete tight end. Texas A&M's Red Bryant is a stay-at-home defensive tackle. He was productive in 2007, but he never took his game to the next level coming out of high school. Owen Schmitt is a throwback old-school fullback. Tyler Schmitt is a good long snapper. Justin Forsett has the chance to make this team at running back. Georgia's Brandon Coutu -- whom I thought was the best kicker in this draft -- could be this year's Mason Crosby.

Either Mel is starting to realize that the things that make people successful in this league are the things Tim Ruskell looks at. Or he couldn't stand to see another re-grade three years down the road that is so much different than his original projection.

Anyway, this is all I am going to say on draft grades, I don't care much for them. We can grade this draft come December....of 2010. END
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Sunday, April 27, 2008

The weekends event deserve a summation. Especially now that you can all share your opinion again. First off let me let me say that I am still not sure what I think about the new format of the draft. I really liked the first day and how is worked. I was not so hot on today. It lasted forever and it started way to early for us west coasters. The late rounds have more picks, and thus it seems like an eternity between picks for you team. Unless you were the Eagles or Ravens who stockpiled 2nd day picks.

You can weigh in on what you think, but what if they did a Friday night segment too? Round one only took 3 1/2 hours. That is the length of a game. Do that in prime time and then two 12-4 sessions. Maybe that works, maybe it doesn't. What ever they do, they need to tell team employees to keep their lips shut on who they are picking before the whole thing starts. Just my opinion, but that was massively anti-climatic.

So on to the Seahawks. To read my thoughts and musing on the Hawks draft...

I thought that all in all the Seahawks were the Seahawks. As much as I think I can break down what they do and prognosticate on it ahead of time, I can't. I thought the first day went much according to plan. At one point I speculated they would go DE. Things might have changed if Baltimore and Atlanta waited and took the Hawks pick. Then it is possible they would have taken Carlson in the early 2nd and went from there. Moving up in the 2nd was smart. No reason to end up with a guy the organization is wishy washy on at the one position you had to deal with. Get your guy and deal with the lost pick later. That was a good decision, even if it seemed early for JC.

As for missing the 3rd rounder, well it seemed we were just one pick short all day. That is why we glossed over the o-line. Ruskell even said he wanted to take a OL guy in the fourth, but since the guy he targeted for the third was there he took him. It is fine with me. Really, you never can have too many linemen, no matter which style or technique they play. Worry about that later and get the guy you think will be best. All three of the first picks will see snaps on week 1, and that is what i like best about them.

The rest of the second day baffled me. Not really because of what the Hawks did, as much as far off all the draft projections are. So much for pay sites being accurate. Roy Scheuning, who I really liked, almost made it to the Hawks 5th rounder. He was supposed to be late 2nd or 3rd. Him going to the Rams made me bitter. However the pick of Owen Schmitt made up for it. I love it. If I were Leonard Weaver, I would be a bit more prepared for this years camp. Especially since the team told him they were gonna wait and see on his next deal. David Kirtman is gone, especially because they took Forsett too. He is a stretch to make the team, as they usually keep 5, but if he does, he will be the Scobey/Hicks mold special team back. He and Wilson will likely return kicks. Nasty Nate should still handle punts, in my opinion, but you never no.

The specialists were needed picks. I am not gonna argue over the semantics of when they were picked, or if you really need to pick players at those positions instead of just signing them. It sounded like Coutu was going to sign with us anyway. Likely they both make roster, even if Mare does too. Thus the team got two contributers (maybe three if Forsett pans out) from the late part of the draft. That is why the Hawks are great at the draft.

There were a lot of things I was right about. Kentwan Balmer and Dustin Keller never had a shot to be Hawks. Neither did a first round WR or another QB. But man Ruskell got me good on the linebackers. I am still sitting here trying to figure out how I missed on that. The must like Herring and Laury more than they let on, at least as linebackers too. Not just special teamers. I will just keep my fingers crossed for health. The may always pick up some scraps at the end of camp if things don't look promising.

Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the coverage Chris and I provided. We had a lot of fun doing it. Not sure what else you could do with the draft. Everybody gets the info at the same time. I would like to think we gave something a bit different, but who knows. One thing I felt awful about was not having comments. That is why when the draft ended, I made it my goal to figure something out. Could be it all changes tomorrow again, I think the new site will be up. A reader wrote me that it was unfair that I did all the lead up and didn't give people a chance to talk. In way that is true and that why I felt bad. As you know, there were other concerns.

Finally, i would just like to say thank you for being patient, and CONGRATS again to Big Seahawk Loser. What a guess! 13 seconds away, unbelievable. Hope you all enjoyed the holy grail weekend of the NFL offseason as much as I did. Read More!

Clearly the big hit on the undrafted guys is Jamar Adams. If you have followed the blog you know i am very high on this guy. The University of Michigan coaches used to invite him into coaches only meetings to help with the game plans. He also mentored a very young defense last year that showed great improvement as the season went on.

Two local receivers are on board and will try to earn a spot. Michael Bumpus was an honorable mention Pac-10 player last year after grabbing 70 balls. Anthony Russo from the UW also inked a deal. He is an adequate guy. He is smaller, at 5-11, but did lead the Huskies in catches an yards.

Linemen too(two). There are several guys for the o line. It looks like Dickinson from Houston is a center. That makes sense considering his weight. They also inked a developmental tackle guy in Williams Robinson. He is tall at 6-6, but undersized at 280. He was invited to the combine, so people thought he had pro potential.

Oh the LB's. No Shane Simmons. The Vikings get no love. The Hawks took on Matt Castello from San Jose St. He led the Spartans in tackles two straight years. That is a good sign. He is only 5-11, 225 though, so another undersized lB. They also got David Hawthorne from TCU. 6-0, 225, and he looks nasty. He is working on a Masters degree, so he is obviously a smart guy.

The rest I wasn't able to get much info on. There are 12 in total which is right on par with what I expected. Maybe one or two of this whole group makes the team. But anyway, now we can set the roster before mini camp. I will put it in a spreadsheet and take a look at the positional depth before mini camp starts on Friday.
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According to this report in the Houston Chronicle, Dustin Dickinson an O lineman from the University of Houston has inked a deal with the Hawks. He is 6-5, but only 275. Here is what the University of Houston site says about him...

One of seven returning starters on the offensive side of the ball... heads into the offseason as the starting right tackle... also can play guard and center if needed... is a tenacious blocker who improves with each snap... has become one of the better run blockers on the Cougar squad... extremely hard worker... 2006: One of only 10 players to start all 14 games, setting a UH single-season record... named All-Conference USA Third Team by the media... picked up Honorable Mention, All-C-USA accolades from the head coaches... starting right tackle for offensive line that helped account for 33.0 points and over 440.0 yards of total offense per game... started all 14 games at right tackle... member of offensive front that ranked No. 1 in C-USA in scoring offense and total offense and No. 2 in rush offense and pass offense... has started 26 consecutive games dating back to the 2005 season... 2005: One of only nine players to start all 12 games... part of a consistent offensive line which started every game... made his first career start at right tackle against Oregon in the season opener... helped open holes for a 1,000-yard rusher and protected a 3,000-yard passer... part of front which helped the offense record more than 5,000 yards of total offense (1,997 rushing, 3,268 passing)... 2004: Played in 10 games as a backup offensive lineman... saw most of his time on special teams... 2003: Redshirted as a true freshman... High School: Selected First-Team, All-District 5-4A at Springtown High School... one of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Area Top 75 recruits... also selected All-Parker County and All-Tarrant County... helped offense generate over 450 yards per game... also picked up Second-Team, All-District honors as a junior in 2001... played for former UH strength and conditioning coach, Erik Slaughter... Personal: Full name is Dustin D. Dickinson... born May 3, 1985... son of Dan Dickinson and Rachel Flemings of Springtown, Texas... enjoys hunting and weightlifting in his spare time... majoring in sports administration.Read More!

If you don't get NFLN, you probably missed this. They have showed it several times, but it is interesting. Basically, it is a look inside the Cowboys war room while they are in the process of trading up into the Seahawks pick. I think it is interesting to see how it goes down, even if it is from Jerry Jones point of view. HERE IS THE LINK.
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First off, I wanted to say what a weekend. I am exhausted. I got limited sleep last night and was posting again by 6am. Pay the price, right? It is not over either. Expect the names of the undrafted free agents to start coming out soon. The Hawks usually sign 10 to 12. I wanted to wait until later and let it all set in before providing an overall opinion on the draft.

However, after the draft, another thing happens. When teams didn't get a chance to address all their needs, this also creates movement on the free agent front. What popped into my mind was a resigning of Pork Chop. He helped the Hawks out last year by adding incentives into his contract. I am sure he was compensated, but regardless, he is a Holmgren favorite and a team guy. The Hawks didn't add to their o line numbers, so I think giving "chop" another one year deal makes sense. Currently, Willis is the only non starter anybody should feel comfortable playing tackle.

Anyway, some of you might have been wondering what happened to Floyd. I think we will find out soon, and hopefully he is coming back for another go with the Hawks. My only worry is that Holmgren will fell obligated to play him. It has happened before. END
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Not too shabby, but I think we're all still scratching our head over the 6th round long snapper... he's going to have a lot more pressure to perform next year than almost any other long snapper in professional football... yowzers. Good luck, Tyler!
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I must say, I am extremely surprised that these two positions were not addressed in the draft. First off, Tim Ruskell says he looks to add a linemen every year. Didn't happen this year. So much for all those who said the Hawks were looking for Walter Jones' replacement in this draft. The passed on the available guys.

I was one of the louder voices shouting linebacker. Some disagreed. I still stand by what I was saying. The good news is that the team almost certainly will not let Leroy Hill get away. That is a 5 star idea. However, I will reserve ultimate judgment on my ignorance until the season. If we see DD Lewis playing significant time, I will be a bit worried.

My best guess is that the Hawks have gotten strong indications from good players at both of these positions that they will sign deals about an hour from now. Else they may have taken a higher priority then a sixth round long snapper. Call it a hunch. I think Shane Simmons of WWU will be the first one to ink his name. That would be a start. We will see....END
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With their second pick in the 7th, #235 overall, the Hawks have selected Brandon Coutu, Kicker from Georgia. This pick has been projected once the Hawks acquired an extra 7th. Now we know the target. Coutu is one of the top kickers, and considering that Tim Ruskell knows the Georgia program very well from his time in Atlanta I am not surprised. Now we will see if he can beat out Mare.
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...Running Back Justin Forsett from California! He had a pretty good year in 2007, and is more a Mo Morris type back than he is an Alexander guy. He's apparently got good character, and didn't have too much of a chance at Cal due to another RB named Marshawn Lynch. The guys on NFL Network just said he is a "Brian Westbrook kind of guy" with a chip on his shoulder. I really like this pick, and so did those fellows. I imagine he'll be a practice squad guy this year, unless we deal Morris elsewhere or decide to make him our special teams RB. He's rated 55 by Scouts.com and is very small -- 5' 8" and 194 lbs... we shall see what happens with him!

Washington State Cougar QB Alex Brink was just drafted 223rd overall by the Houston Texans. It's not very likely that he'll make the team, as they have quite a few QBs as it is, but he is the first Washington player drafted in the 2008 draft. Congrats, Alex! Scouts ranks him a 30 and he's the 25th ranked QB in this class... Hawks pick soon! END
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Congrats Lex Hillard! Drafted by Miami. He is one tough SOB! Hope you all don't mind me tracking the Griz, but since no Washington schools have made an appearance, I figure they deserve some praise. END
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Taking the long snapper in the sixth round seems like a curious pick. I have a hard time believing the Hawks wouldn't have been one of the more desirable locations for any free agent long snapper. However, considering now that the team spent a pick on him, he is likely to be the guy. Anytime you can get a contributer at this stage of the draft you are doing well.

There are a lot of players that I would have preferred. However, that is why I write a blog and Ruskell runs a team. If this is the guy the Hawks wanted, I have no problem taking him. Lets erase that issue from of our minds once and for all. I can get behind that mindset. That said, as Mike Mayock just pointed out, did the Hawks think someone was really going to beat them to the punch. It is a rare selection in deed, as most long snappers are undrafted, and the Hawks took one in the sixth. END
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In the Sixth round with the 189th overall pick the Seahawks have chosen to address the huge hole at long snapper by taking Tyler Schmitt from San Diego St.

Schmidt was a four year starter at San Diego St. He specializes in long snapping only. He is a good athlete as he played Defensive End in high school. Many people had him ranked as the 2nd long snapper on the board. Obviously the Hawks liked him better than Tim Bugg.

It will be interesting to see if they get a kicker to pair with Schmidt. This is also two picks in row with the same last name. Way to confuse the trainers Ruskell (and the fans too). END
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...the Seahawks take FB Owen Schmitt from West Virginia U (click for a scouting report). This is an unexpected pick and probably spells the end of everybody's favorite broken hand, David Kirtman. I personally can't stand WVU, its among my least favorite schools and I'm persistently rooting against them, but hey, maybe this'll work out. He was pretty good in college though, so I suppose this is a decent pick.

In 2007, he averaged 5.8 yards per carry on 47 attempts. He's a big dude and apparently a bit of a monster, should add something to our blocking game if Weaver can't step up and play like Mack Strong this year. I have to believe that Weaver is still the starter, but Schmitt will likely be getting a lot more play this year than, say, Kirtman got last year. Could be a beast blocking on special teams, too, which is something we'll be needing more of last year, especially if Burleson isn't fielding kicks (since he'll likely be starting for at least the first half of the year...).
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Ouch, I am heartbroken! Not only do the Hawks not get him, but the Rams do. He is going to be a mean and nasty guard the Hawks will be dealing with for years to come. I would be surprised if the Hawks addressed O-line with this pick now. Doesn't seem to be much value, unless they go center. Either way I am sure they will find a quality player. END
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Yay!! The first Montana Grizzly taken. He is a DE will a relentless motor who was suspected to make the transition to OLB. If you all didn't know I went to school at Montana, and we were constant National Championship contenders. And still are! Go Griz! END
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The Cardinals, who many thought would land Jonathan Stewart, but stayed defense in the first day, finally got a running back to pair with Edge. It is Timothy Hightower out of Richmond.

Hightower is far from a burner, he is a power back. He has good hands too. This is the type of runner that the Stealers would love. He will run you over if you use solid technique in tackling. No surprise Wisenhunt and Grimm are high on him. Good thing the Hawks have some new big bodies to slow down the new and improved AZ ground game. END
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The late fourth and fifth round is where there are picks that make me say..Who? That is a good thing. Lots of teams are willing to take chances on small school guys. The Seahawks are not. I think it benefits them because these guys who have experience against top level talent remain available. Like many of you, I use a lot of the available information to scout prospects. GM's have scouting departments. That is what accounts for the descrepency in where players are projected and actually taken.

There are still several big school multiple year starters on the O line. I really like Roy Schuening and Kirk Barton. There are several linebackers hanging on the board way past their projections as well. The Hawks are still likely to get a good player in the fifth, and as of yet, they haven't shipped off any future picks. That will benefit them if they find a guy next year worth trading up for.

All in all, things are shaping up quite well for the Hawks. They have gotten three players who can contribute next year, and they have the possibility to grab some very good players still. God I love the NFL! It is going to be a great year! END
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My inital reaction to this pick is not as high as you might think. I think Bryant will be a solid player in the league and will help the Seahawks maintain a serious defensive presence. He also presents very good value taken in the fourth. However, I can't believe they passed on Scheuning. They may be higher on Wrotto then they have let us know, but Big Roy would have been a great replacement of the aging Mike Wahle in a year or two and could have pushed Sims right away.

I think that DT is something that they will be glad they took next year, but they now have three DT's who mostly just take up space. Tubbs will be gone next year, but if Bernard is too, they will need more of a penetrator.

I think Wesley Woodard may still be available in the 5th and that could be the linebacker they wanted all along. He is a Tim Ruskell player for sure. He led the SEC in tackles several years running.

Maybe they will make a move to get up and get their O lineman using a future pick. Else it looks as if they may just pick up a developmental guy later. We will see. I still get the sense we are one pick short in this draft, which we are, but it was worth it to get the TE that the team craved. END
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After having a productive first day the Hawks must have felt comfortable staying where they were in the fourth, especially when watching how the draft board sorted out. The were able to select, Red Bryant, a quality player who may also get in the rotation right away.

With question marks around Rocky and Tubbs, this makes a lot of sense. Bryant is a very very large man (6'4", 318). He will take up blockers in the mold of Tubbs or Mebane. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks try and move up again with quality guys still on the board in need positions.

To read the Scouts inc report on Bryant...

Strengths: Shows good initial quickness for size, aggressive and makes the occasional play in the backfield. Has excellent bulk, though inconsistent in this area can stay low to the ground and is stout at the point of attack. Plays with a mean streak, shows good upper body strength and can shed blocks quickly though a little inconsistent in this area. Has excellent size and can anchor when teams run at him. Flashes an effective rip move and shows a good not great motor when rushing the passer. Gets hands up when isn't going to get to the quarterback, times jumps well and excels at tipping passes. Blocked an extra-point attempt in 2006, blocked a kick in 2004 and can contribute on special teams. Voted permanent team captain in 2006, is a leader of the field and shows a knack for making plays in key situations.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal closing speed and doesn't always get there when gets a clear path to the quarterback. Takes too long to change directions, doesn't show a wide variety of pass rush moves and doesn't force offensive linemen to redirect in pass protection. Though flashes the ability to collapse the pocket and has the potential to develop into a powerful bull rusher, doesn't always get under blocker's pads or drive legs once in position. Doesn't always use hands to protect legs and struggles to fight over cut blocks. Lacks ideal range and isn't going to make many plays in pursuit. Gets too caught up in individual battles, takes too long to locate the ball carrier and gets caught out of position at times. While started 12 games and appeared in all 13 games in 2007, sustained a season-ending knee injury in 2006 and durability is a concern. Has some problems controlling emotions, lacks ideal discipline and is vulnerable to getting flagged.

Overall: Bryant arrived at Texas A&M in 2003 and redshirted that year. In his first three seasons (2004-'06), he appeared in 32 games (30 starts) at nose guard and right defensive tackle, registering 81 tackles (13.5 for losses) and 5.5 sacks. In 2006, Bryant tore the ACL in his right knee, returned for one game after sitting out a week, and then missed the Aggies' final three games after deciding to undergo season-ending surgery. As a senior he played in all 13 games (and started the first 12), finishing with 46 tackles (six for losses), one sack, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, a blocked kick and a safety. Bryant doesn't have ideal closing speed or athletic ability but he has the quickness, size and toughness to develop into an excellent run stuffer and adequate interior pass rusher if he can stay healthy and sharpen his technique. He projects as a late first-day pick as a result.Read More!

The Cards got Early Doucet in the 3rd. He projects to be a pretty good pro, but he will be stuck behind the big two for at least a year, which may be a good thing, However, in my opinion the Cards are failing to take advantage of having Russ Grimm on staff by shying away from O line and running back. Did anybody see Edges YPC last year?

The Rams took Justin King, CB, Penn St. Junior who came out early. Mayock says he needed to work on his technique more. Glad to know the Rams have no one who can coach him up. Can you say...burnt toast?

The Niners took Texas A+M center Cody Wallace. He is a solid pro and a smart pick. The Niners are going to find a way to keep whatever QB they decide to start upright. At least that way they can get an accurate read on his potential. However, that team was in desperate need of a playmaker. Bryant Johnson and Issac Bruce simply are not.

Well almost, the compensatory picks which cannot be traded remain. The Hawks opted to stay away. However part of the reasoning may be the depth on the board in positions they likely are targeting. Plenty of quality O-linemen, Linebackers, Safeties, and even WR's remain. I am not counting out a move into the top of the fourth, but we will see. They may be comfortable waiting, knowing the positions likely to see extensive time next year have been filled.

Several Seahawk Addicts favs remain like Xavier Adibi or Wesley Woodard, and Roy Scheuning as well. Time to get to work Hawks. Gets go get somebody. END.
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The SF 49ers used their high third round pick on Reggie Smith, CB/S from Oklahoma. Another pick and another defensive player. I will say this again, the 49ers had a historically bad offense last year, and so far they have added a guard. Rachel is a good player, but as a replacement for Larry Allen, the Niners offense seems to be stuck in neutral. As a Hawk fan, I have no problem with that. Alex Smith....meet Lawrence Jackson. END
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But not to the Seahawks. As I speculated this morning, this is something the Pats are prone to do. The Chargers have moved in to the early third, #69, overall. The Chargers gave up next years second along with a 5th to get this done. No rush for the Hawks though, not a single linebacker has been chosen yet in the third. UPDATE: So much for that Tavares Gooden from the U just got plucked by Bal. Ray Lewis smiles very big. END
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To open day two, the Detroit Lions selected Kevin Smith, RB, from Central Flordia.

The Rams had the second pick of day two and selected John Greco from Toledo

The Rams had an interesting draft yesterday and added to it with this pick. Clearly they needed to add some depth to their O line, as last year it was depleted by injury. Greco projects to be a solid player. He is a bit of a project though, as he has played tackle in college, but seems as if he will be a guard in the pros. Either way, you can never fault a team for improving their lines, but this the second small school player in the Rams first three picks. END
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Call a post draft haze if you will, but i missed a team when previously talking about how the Hawks can get back into the 3rd round, if they so wanted.

The New England Patriots.

The Pats present a perfect opportunity if the Hawks are interested in taking it, because they have shown a willingness to push picks back into the next year. They did it last year with their pick in the first, after using Seattle's. They may actually prefer to ship off their early third for a second next year, if a team is willing to give that up.

It is also possible they will just swap their late 3rd rounder for a 3rd next year, if they have hit on two guys they were targeting. It will be interesting to watch. However, if the Hawks want to be movers and shakers again, New England might be the best chance to make that happen. END
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One thing to look at today, especially, is who the Hawks take with their 5th round pick. It is not as exciting as the first day, but apparently finding a fifth was a long sought out process, with a specific target in mind. This was one of Tim Ruskell's quotes from yesterday, courtesy of Mike Kahn's recap at Seahawks.com.

All week long, we kept saying, boy, if we just had a Five, we could get this one guy, and now we have one, and an extra Seven.

So who is the magical mystery player the Hawks love with that grade? We will soon find out? END
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Saturday, April 26, 2008

OK folks, I have scoured the entries and I have received an email back from the big winner, so I am ready to disclose the info for all you waiting and wondering.

If you want to know who the lucky cat was....

First let me say that the winner did a bang up job on this one! The pick came a lot quicker than I would of expected. But first, let me give some notoriety to those who made valiant predictions.

Reader Drew B. guessed 7 first round trades. Two others had 6, but nobody had 8.

Reader Warren B. was the only one who guessed Lawrence Jackson. Nice call my man.

Alas, these were only the tie breakers.

Matt from Ohio guessed 2:42:39 which was good for 3rd, Reader Brian from Vegas guessed 2:48:45, which was a close second. Nice work gents, however....

Reader Bobby, known by the handle Big Seahawk Loser (kind of ironic right), with 2:49:21 was the big winner. He was within 13 seconds! How about that!

I want to thank all of you for participating. There was an unbelievable amount of participation. It will be my distinct honor to send Bobby a new replica jersey for the upcoming season. I love the idea of contests because it allows me the opportunity to reward my readers and make following the Hawks even a little bit more fun. I really enjoy writing and running the site and you, as readers do an awesome job supporting the site. Thank you. I know some of you are frustrated with the comments and I can assure you I am working hard on remedying that as well. Hang in there.

If you didn't win, don't worry, there will be another contest around the corner. And even though I am not picking up the tab, you can get all the Hawk gear you need, including any players replica jersey you might want at the SA Merchandise Partner, The Seattle Team Store. So go check out what they got! By using the sites partners, and checking out what they offer, it allows me to hold fun contests like this one. For all of you who do this on a regular basis, it is appreciated. Thanks again! I am convinced the coolest Hawk fans on the web read here! Mini camp is starting soon and 08' will be here before we know it. Goooooooooooo Hawks!!! Lets win one for coach! Read More!

First off, my early skeptiscim of the new changes turned out to be Ok. Having the first couple picks leak out was a small price to pay for the breakneck pace of the first round! How great was that. Teams weren't even using their alloted time, just getting guys they wanted. I thought it was fantastically better than sitting around and waiting for 5 hours.

Trades. EIGHT!!!!! count em... trades in the first round that took place during the draft. We haven't seen anything like that in a while. Jacksonville jumped from behind the Hawks to the top 10. That would have been worth doing for the Hawks if Dorsey had slipped. How about Philly? They obviously would rather just let someone else pay first round money. That is two years in a row. Baltimore was also very active.

Finally, the WR's. What happened there. I guess it is clear, if it wasn't before, that there was no way the Hawks would take a first round WR. Teams are starting to come around to that way of thinking. I guy who at most touches the ball 10 times, that is a guaranteed stud, isn't worth touching with that money. The Hawks stayed away, and so did the rest of the league in the first. Jim Zorn then made it his personal mission to clear the board in the second, taking two who had slipped in Thomas and Kelly, along with Fred Davis. They could have a nice aerial attack in a couple of years, but next year, they are gonna wish they found a pass rusher. END
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The Hawks did very well for themselves on day one of the draft. Tim Ruskell said he felt that defensive End was a bigger need than defensive tackle. Assuming that Rocky Bernard escapes a serious suspension, I think he is right. He still may add depth, but if you look at the players that are available through FA, if the team had someone go down, tackles are the ones available. Grady Jackson, Larry Triplett, and Rod Coleman could all play if asked. Also, the Seahawks grabbed Ellis Wyms of the scrap heap at the end of camp last year ad did quite well. So getting Lawrence Jackson was a huge gain. He is a prototypical 43 end who will be a solid player for a long time.

Trading up for a John Carlson is likely to be a hotly debated move. It mostly depends on how the picks fall tomorrow and how Carlson produces. Mike Holmgren has already said he wants him to start and he expects him to be a core player for this team in the future. Mike Sando described him as "the anti Stevens." If this works out half as good as the similar move made for Lofa, this team is in great shape. Lofa was a standout player right away, and if any TE in this class has a chance to be, it is Carlson.

To continue with what tomorrow's prospects look like....

To be perfectly honest, I wanted to be able to tell you that I thought the Hawks would be able to get back into the third. With some of the players on the board, I am sure they would like to. However, it just doesn't seem like it is in the cards.

First, they would probably have to be willing to give up next years second. That is not as far fetched as it may seem. If there was a player they felt presented a good opportunity, I think they would consider that, despite Ruskell saying earlier this week he didn't like trading future picks. Tim Ruskell likes a pick in every round, so I wouldn't be surprised if he tried.

What I can't figure out is who would be willing to give up their picks for next years second. There are two teams with 3 picks in the 3rd, Baltimore and Kansas City. KC needs players by the truckload, so I think they may keep them all. Although there is a cap teams have to stay under when signing rookies, so they may not be able to. Baltimore is who holds the Hawks old second. They need players too. However, even though unlikely, it is possible they could be enticed for an extra second next year.

If the Hawks do manage to get up, I suspect it will be to take a linebacker. Linebackers slipped way passed where they were projected because the run on linemen in the first pushed the run on wide receivers into the second. Several linebackers I think all fit the Seahawks very well are on the board. They include...

As you can see there are a bunch of them. I didn't even include Dan Conner who is available too. I think the prize is Addibi, but I sense the Hawks would be after Kehl. I suspect linebacker will be a popular choice in the third. Hopefully the Hawks can muster up a third, because Ruskell has had a ton of success in that round since he got here (Hill, Mebane). Frank Hughes posted that he expects the Hawks to take two linebackers tomorrow. I think it more likely they take one and sign an UDFA or two at that position.

Regardless of whether or not the Seahawks can get back into the third or not, expect them to get an offensive linemen in the fourth. It is a pattern with Ruskell. At this point they could take any position. A center would be smart. Good Tackles that the Hawks like are available in Anthony Collins and Kirk Barton. Also, SA favorite Roy Scheuning who wants to be in Seattle is available. It is hard to judge where these players will be taken at this point. There was a big time run on tackles, so a lot of needy teams filled that position. However, only one guard, Chilo Rachel was taken, by the Niners. So a run on guards could start. One Center was taken, and there are some viable prospects for the third tomorrow.

If the Hawks can get players they like at these positions. They may shoot for another late round WR, or maybe a safety, depending on which presents more value. I do think that one of the 7ths will be a specialist. No way Ruskell lets special teams become a huge abscess on a championship caliber team. He will make sure they find options to choose from. Go make your money tomorrow Timmy! Your work this year may be more crucial than ever before. We need a draft like the Giants had last year. Get errrrr done!. I am going to sort through contest entries. So you may hear more about that later. However, unless there is a trade, I will be back in the AM, Chris too. Remember, 3rd round starts 7am sharp! Read More!

So, how did our division do? Its obviously a little early to say, but two things are clear... some teams made some picks that LOOK like they should be very good. The Rams had to grab Long and they did, they will be better because of it. However, they also grabbed Avery... what?! They get the award for best and worst pick of the day. Craftiest pick of the day I'll give to our boys trading to snag Carlson... Lets hope it was worth losing the third!

Below is a draft of our picks and the ESPN grade and ranks for each.

Pick #

Player

Team

Scouts Grade

Position Rank

Overall Rank

2

Chris Long

St Louis

98

1

1

16

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Arizona

93

3

19

28

Lawrence Jackson

Seattle

88

5

33

29

Kentwan Balmer

San Fran

93

3

20

33

Donnie Avery

St Louis

68

14

109

38

John Carlson

Seattle

83

3

54

39

Chilo Rachel

San Fran

81

2

65

50

Calais Campbell

Arizona

86

7

48

To See Michael's Analysis on the division...

To me I think the Cardinals did a very good job strengthening their defense. Their coverage and front should be better. However both of those players have boom or bust potential.

The Niners added to their lines which is always a smart strategy. I had previously been hard on them for not addressing their line up until now. However, the did have one of the historically worst offenses in history and did very little to put energy into that. I guess the feeling is that if Gore does better, that and the addition of Mike Martz should be enough to jump start things.

The Rams added to key positions, but I wonder if they got marketably better. Long will obviously be a core player on their defense for years to come. I agree with Chris though, Avery was out of the blue. While he has speed, he was rarely playing against anything resembling a pro level corner. He will be interesting to watch.

I really like what the Hawks did. However, as is pretty standard with the Hawks, day two is where Tim Ruskell will make his money. Both Jackson and Carlson are as sure of bets as you can find to become starters, but Ruskell will have to find another starter or two late to make this a great draft. Good thing there are a bunch of good players at need positions still on the board. Look for the Hawks to try and do a little maneuvering tomorrow. As reader Realsp pointed out to me, the extra 7th, which would be a throw away pick to most teams actually helps the Hawks because they can use it to fill a hole on special teams with a kicker or long snapper and ensure they get some quality competition at those spots in camp. Read More!

Holmgren talked on NFLN with the group. It was a really funny interview covering a wide variety of topics. They asked him about why the Hawks passed on Dustin Keller. He said, "the tight end class this year came in all shapes and sizes." "We really wanted a guy who could play inline and handle the defensive ends a bit." "We didn't want to have to scheme him outside." What he is saying is that Keller was too small and was going to be used like an H-Back. The Jets have several blocking TE's, so he works for them. Carlson, or maybe Craig Stevens, if the Hawks some how missed on Carlson, were the only TE's destined to be Seahawks. Bennett has attitude issues that have been chronicled since day one.

A third is a high price to pay, no doubt. However, if he works out, like Lofa did, nobody will care one bit about that third. I will be interested if they decide to use next years picks to get back up into the third. They should have several extra picks next year (compensatory) after losing numerous million dollar free agents. END
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The Hawks have traded into the 38th pick and selected John Carlson. Excellent move. Carlson was the most NFL ready TE available. He should contribute some next year. He doesn't have great upside, but the Hawks know they are getting a good player and a quality individual.

Carlson is a great athlete and was decent at Notre Dame. He should be able to get open and be a big target for Matt (6'5", 255) and will be an upgrade as far as blocking goes. He's a Ruskell guy, through and through: very smart, hard working, and of good character. He was a team captain his senior year at ND, and should be ready for pro football pretty quickly. He won't likely be a pro-bowler, but he will be a Super Bowler for sure!

The Hawks gave up their 3rd round pick to get this done. It would appear that Carlson was the one tight end they really coveted. Being that he can catch and block it makes sense. The 3rd rounder was a steep price to pay. However, with the 3rd round on the second day this year, it is possible the Hawks could find away to get back in, if there is someone their they really like. They would likely have to use future picks though to make this happen.

Wow! The Packers have selected Jordy Nelson of Kansas St. He was not expected to go this high at all. Especially when you consider the WR's still on the board. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Jackson, Kelly,Hardy, Manningham, and Sweed all remain available.

On another note, one TE has been taken. Dustin Keller. Expect the 2nd round run on TE's to begin soon. It would help the Seahawks chances of getting the one they like if New Orleans would use their pick to get Shockey. Besides for them, Buffalo, Atlanta, Cincy, and Philly could all look TE. However, I expect both Philly and Cincy to select WR's. If there is a run on all these WR's it could dramatically help the Hawks chances of getting the top TE on their board. END
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The more I think about this pick, the more excited I am. Having another pass rusher helps make the secondary, which the Hawks have invested heavily in recently even better. Plus, who can argue with the success that Ruskell had last time he took a defensive star from USC.

I thought I would post this too. This is what I wrote about Lo Jack after watching him in person at his pro day.

Lawerence Jackson, DE (Lo Jack)... Jackson looked very good to me. I could almost echo what I wrote about Sed Ellis. During the position drills, which was all he did, he was drawing ooohs and ahhs. He looked very quick in the handfighting drills and very explosive in the others. He was equally as powerful as Sed with the tackling dummies. After thinking about it, that is what makes Sed Ellis so amazing. He is almost 40 lbs heavier, and shorter than Lo Jack too, but they look equally as quick and explosive in drills. In the end, I think they will both be every down guys in the league.

Kentwan Balmer has been selected #29 overall. I think you all have seen plenty of analysis on him here, but I'm happy to see the Forty Whiners get a one-year wonder with a bad attitude. Click his name for a scouting report...

The Lambs have picked WR Donnie Avery (Houston) #33 overall. He's 5'11", 192 lbs, ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, 3.91 short shuttled, 6.30 3-cone, and had a 37.5" vertical leap... he's coming from Houston (they've got schools in Houston?) and the guy on NFL Network said he was the 11th rated WR... sounds like a perfect pick for the Rams. Seriously, are they even trying to win? Here's a scouting report of Mr. Avery. FF Toolbox has him at #75 overall.
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Let me just say I am siked! I have watched Lo Jack for several years. He is a monster and he is well prepared to help this team right away.

This is a very safe pick for the Hawks. He has very little downside. He will be a solid player. He fits exactly what the Hawks like. He is a big school guy who has started against top competition for multiple years. The Seahawks now have some solid depth at DE. They will still need to add to the D Line, but they do have extra picks now too. To read the NFL Draft Countdown report, click here.

To move back three spots, the Seahawks received the Cowboys fifth and seventh, thus giving them a pick in the fifth round again. Their previous 5th was traded to Jacksonville for Alvin Pearman.

The Dallas picks were the 163rd and the 235th. Those picks along with the 28th are valued 686.5. The Hawks pick was valued at 720 points. It doesn't really matter, the Hawks had no one worth taking at #25 anyway. Now they have two more picks, even if the 7th is basically a throw away.

For what its worth, I was very much against us grabbing Mendenhall. I lived in Chicago the last two years and was incredibly unimpressed with him. I'm glad that he won't be a Seahawk, but losing him is also losing the bulk of our obvious leverage going into #25. Can we trade down? I'd say there's a 50/50 chance at best, and I really am clueless as to who we're after that is worth a first round pick...

but that doesn't mean Mr. Ruskell won't know. Its almost here....Read More!

Well, the Skins traded out and the Falcons moved in to take Sam Baker. He was a player that many thought the Hawks would look at. All of the teams that were likely trade partners are moving up ahead of the Hawks pick. Also, now people are going off the board that the Hawks probably targeted.

The real question is...can Mendenhall get by the Cowboys? Come on Jerry, you know you like the kid from Arkansas. Mendenahall is a player nobody thought would be around and could be the running back of the future. Either way, it seems to be increasingly possible the Hawks will pick at #25. End
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It's hard to say now that the 2nd Qb has been taken, but I think the best chance of that happening is Mendenhall slipping... then the question is, do we trade, or draft him?

I'm not a big Mendenhall fan, personally, but I wouldn't mind adding him to the squad. If we could trade down to 33-40, Laws (a Seahawk Addicts favorite) would likley be around, as would Dustin Keller. We don't want to be overpaying someone we can get later in the draft, so if they're who we want, what do we do? We'll find out in a little over an hour...
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The Arizona Cardinals, who many think are the Seahawks closest competitor in the NFC West, used their first pick in the draft on CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Click the name for his scouting report.

Since announcing they are moving previous first round corner, Samari Rolle, to safety, the Cards are in need of some starting caliber corners. Cromartie played college ball at Tennessee State. He saw his draft stock climb when proving to be a playmaker at the Senior Bowl. He also has great moves when the ball is in his hands, much like his cousin Antonio Cromartie. There are some concerns over the fact that he has only one kidney. END
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So much for all that talk in Carolina that they would take a tackle huh? Jonathan Stewart has been selected by the Panthers. He didn't even make it to the Lions.

Expect Tim Ruskell to be finalizing those trade offers right about now. There isn't anyone I see that the Hawks would want to stick at #25 for. However, it is clear that I know very little about the draft plans of NFL teams right now.

And so the dream is dead! Too bad. Good thing we have Julius Jones right? uhhh.

My Bad, Brandon Albert is still on the board, and I am sure the Hawks would like him if available. END
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...and no one has taken a cornerback or safety. This is good for the JStew fans hoping he'll slip to us. The fewer DBs that are gone by the time the Tardinals pick the more likely it is that JStew gets past them. I'd still put it at less than 20% chance of us getting him, but it is somewhat good news, nonetheless... keep watching...

Clearly Michael just don't know what he's talking about, eh? J Stewart will be a Seahawk next year!!!!!!!!!!!

(no, probably not...)

UPDATE: False. He gone. The Panthers snagged Hackett and now JStew... the upside? Arizona didn't get him!
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The Baltimore Ravens may have just done the Seattle Seahawks a huge favor. By taking the Jags 26th pick, they are possibly targeting one of the second tier quarterbacks.

What does that mean for the Hawks? Well, picking in the slot before the Ravens now, they should expect plenty of offers from all the teams who are interested in making sure they don't miss out on the signal caller of their choice. Now we can wait and see if anybody drops, but the chances of trading back just grew exponentially. END
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The played out exactly as leaked. No surprises. To me that is kind of disappointing. I would have liked to have been surprised at least once. However I do appreciate the break-neck pace that the draft is unfolding at. Still, the first half hour of the draft was basically a waste considering we knew these picks at 10 am.

The Chiefs are now on the clock in what could be the first big move of the day. Teams are likely making some offers to get themselves arguably the best defensive player in the draft. Too bad the Hawks don't have more ammo. END
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I was hoping they wouldn't take him, but they did. Long is a stud, tried and true. for us Hawks fans, having a couple of studs on your defense does not a team make. Still, Long appears to be a leader and appears to have good character, so he should help strengthen their defense, and provides a long-term building block (assuming they treat him right).

Michael says --

It was the best choice the Rams could have made. Maybe they are starting to get it right and with some health they could be formidable

It is way to early to make a statement on this either way, but one thing I will be watching closely is how the changes in format to the draft play out. Will be be a success or a failure?

If the top four picks end up playing out exactly as have been reported, my feeling is that would be a black mark against the changes right off the bat. One of the reasons the draft has become so successful is that people enjoy the suspense of it. That is why ESPN and NFLN have a combined 8 million analysts on hand. Granted there will still be more suspense later in the day, but is anybody else already worn out by the pre-draft talk. Lots of talk, not a lot of substance. Lets get too it.

Another thing I will be interested in, is how tomorrow feels. It seems like it will be more entertaining, starting at 7am PST and the picks coming quickly, but it also seems to be a lot to cram into one session. Considering that the second day now includes the pivotal third round, I hope that a little more attention is paid to each pick. In years past, the networks would allow three or four picks go buy before announcing them, and then just brush over the teams and selections. It was frustrating for Seahawks fans, and now it could be even worse. END
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According to several reports around the web, the first four picks have already been decided. We will see if it actually plays out this way, but it should go...

1) Jake Long, Dolphins...this one is for sure, the contract is signed

2) Chris Long, Rams... The best pick they could make. While he may never be a superstar like his dad, he will be a very good player for many years.

3) Matt Ryan, Atl.... I wonder how much of this pick is Blanks influence. It seems it is a much a business decision as it is a football decision. Atlanta has had its issues of recent, I hope for their sake, they found a new face of the franchise.

4) Darren McFadden,OAK... Ok, another pick announced early. Did we even need to get everybody gathered in NYC. At this rate the Hawks will be on the clock by 12:30! Bad for the contest entries, but good for Hawk fans!

Adam Schefter just reported that Baltimore is making a last minute effort to get to #2 and blow this whole thing up, so stay tuned. All this early info could turn out to be bogus.

I figured we should get this out before the Draft Day madness and the resulting days of coverage and analysis... The Madden curse has, it would appear, been destroyed! Or, at least, avoided. EA Sports has announced the new cover athlete, to see who it is...

Apparently, they had previously said it was Eli Manning, but the Giants org gave him too much flack and that was the end of that... Maybe this will once and for all stop Favre from coming back -- nobody wants to deal with the curse, eh?
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ABOUT THE ADDICTS...

Ultimately, we're just like you guys -- crazed 12th men with a zeal for all things Seahawk. Chris and Mike take point, with Aaron Weinberg, Strategerie and Bill T. picking up our slack to bring you all the news that's fit to blog and some that probably isn't. We'll do our best to bring analysis and helpful information, and we'll call on you regularly to provide the same.